4 ms·

A couple of issues, really. First: did the residents of Crimea prefer to be part of Ukraine or part of Russia? Second: should residents of a region have the r

A couple of issues, really. First: did the residents of Crimea prefer to be part of Ukraine or part of Russia? Second: should residents of a region have the right to declare independence (or annex themselves to another country) without getting permission from the government of their current country? The US fought a bloody war 150 years ago to settle this issue (no, US states do not have the right to leave). But they followed a different policy on Kosovo. The Russians have been happy to recognize the right of Abkhazia and Crimea to determine their own path, but didn't grant the same rights to Chechnya (or recognize the split of Kosovo from Serbia). China, with Tibet, Taiwan, and Hong Kong on its mind, did not show any support for Crimea's move to Russia.

geoka9 10y ago
I think these questions are a mute point here, because Crimea wasn't annexed to appease the people of Crimea; it was annexed to deliberately f* up Ukraine and boost Putin's popular support in Russia.
smsm42 10y ago
> The Russians have been happy to recognize the right of Abkhazia and Crimea to determine their own path As long as "their own path" means being part of Russia. Had there been any political force even talking about any other path, they'd be swiftly suppressed, it's a felony in Russia to promote secession.
- my_first_acct 10y ago
  > it's a felony in Russia to promote secession. I would guess that it's a felony only if you promote secession from Russia. For instance, people living in Russia are playing some kind of role in the California secession movement ("Calexit") [1]. [1] http://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Advocate-s-Russian-ties-cause-concern-in-state-10907521.php http://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Advocate-s-Russi...
  - smsm42 10y ago
    Oh of course I meant "secession from Russia". It's OK to promote any other kind of secession, as long as it does not contradict Kremlin policies (if it does, you could be a target of anything from low-level harassment to murder).

geoka9 10y ago

I think these questions are a mute point here, because Crimea wasn't annexed to appease the people of Crimea; it was annexed to deliberately f* up Ukraine and boost Putin's popular support in Russia.

smsm42 10y ago

> The Russians have been happy to recognize the right of Abkhazia and Crimea to determine their own path As long as "their own path" means being part of Russia. Had there been any political force even talking about any other path, they'd be swiftly suppressed, it's a felony in Russia to promote secession.

my_first_acct 10y ago
> it's a felony in Russia to promote secession. I would guess that it's a felony only if you promote secession from Russia. For instance, people living in Russia are playing some kind of role in the California secession movement ("Calexit") [1]. [1] http://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Advocate-s-Russian-ties-cause-concern-in-state-10907521.php http://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Advocate-s-Russi...
- smsm42 10y ago
  Oh of course I meant "secession from Russia". It's OK to promote any other kind of secession, as long as it does not contradict Kremlin policies (if it does, you could be a target of anything from low-level harassment to murder).